Is It Hopeless?
by Zanza Flux
Summary: It was such a simple request from an old friend. He'd go and check out the old studio. Simple right? In and out, no problem. If only he knew...
1. Why Even Try?

**AN: This story will have spoilers for Chapter 5.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bendy and the Ink Machine. I just play with its characters.**

* * *

Henry was tired.

How long had he been doing this? Too long. At some point, he stopped counting. The invisible tally marks on the walls said as much.

It all started simple enough. He got a letter from his old friend, Joey Drew. He visited him at his home where they shot the breeze for a few hours. Looking back on the good old days. Back when they worked together to bring their cartoon creations to the silver screen to the delight of millions. Those were great times, even if Joey took the credit for everything. A big man with big ideas that acted like he did everything on his own. That bit of bitterness still stung even after all these years.

Still, when he received the invitation, he couldn't resist. Linda told him not to go. She never liked Joey. The man always piled more work on him to the point where they hardly spent time together. It put a major strain on their relationship. She was so happy when he finally walked away from all of that.

Linda was upset when he said he was going to see Joey. He promised he wouldn't be there too long and he'd be back she knew it. Yeah, looking back on it now, he should have listened.

Henry went back to the studio at his friend's request. It was such a simple request too. For years, he had wondered what became of the place. He wasn't surprised to see the boarded up windows and doors. The studio had shut down years ago.

Henry pushed open the door. He was greeted by yellowing walls, the smell of dust, and old posters of their beloved cartoons. He closed the door behind him and took a few steps in. "Alright Joey, I'm here. Let's see if we can find what you wanted me to see."

As Henry explored the old workshop he came across his workstation. A sketch of the little devil darling right where he left it all those years ago. The character's joyful expression brought a smile to his face. He fell in love with the little toon ever since Joey handed him that bottle of ink. As the head of the animation department, it was his job to make sure they breathed life into every creation they produced. He was proud of his small team. They did incredible work, but it was never enough for Joey. He always wanted more.

The place was bigger than he remembered. Looks like the animation department grew as the studio gained moderate success. Henry was hit by a twinge of longing. He would have like to have met the animators that kept Bendy, Boris, and Alice alive after he was gone.

Henry frowned at the cardboard cutouts of the little devil darling. The strange smile and vacant stare was not how he designed the character. Joey must have changed him at some point. He didn't like it. The toon lacked the joy he had when Henry created him. This version made him uneasy. Surely this couldn't be what Joey wanted him to see.

No. Henry got his answer when he found what must have been Joey's pride and joy, the Ink Machine. It rose from the depths of the studio on thick chains and belched out huge gouts of steam at the sides as it came to a rest. He'd never seen anything like it. He wanted to know how it worked. No, he needed to know how it worked! His curiosity grew the more he stared at it. And you know what they say about curiosity…

Henry ignored the uneasiness clawing at the back of his mind. He came this far, might as well see it to the end. He knew something was wrong when he turned on the flow. The pipes clanked loudly and started to burst at the seams. He should have expected that, they were pretty old. Still, it surprised him just how much ink flooded the room. Why on earth did this place need so much ink?

Henry hurried down the hall. He needed to get to the machine. Maybe turn it off before he drowned in the stuff. Leave it to Joey to go overboard. Small leaks sprang from the overhead pipes as he got closer to the room. As he got closer, he noticed wooden planks blocking the doorway. It wasn't like that before…

He approached the room with great caution. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The thick wooden boards crisscrossed, barring entry into the room. Henry leaned in to a small opening to get a better look when a large, smiling face popped up in front of him. He stumbled back as a gloved hand shot out and took a swipe at him.

Henry didn't know what that thing was. All he wanted was to get the hell out of there. Shutters crashed down as more ink flooded the rooms. The floors and walls shook as more pipes burst and the black substance rained down on him. The exit! He needed to get to the exit! It was there, right within his sights. He was so close, he could reach out and touch the door. Freedom was within his grasp.

Then he was falling…

* * *

He wasn't sure how he survived the fall. He thought he was lucky to walk away with a slight limp and a bump on the head. This wasn't too bad. He just needed to find another exit. Maybe make his way back upstairs. Instead, he found himself descending deeper into the studio.

Coffins lined the walls. Why would an animation studio need such things? Hell, why would Joey need a machine that produced that much ink? He needed answers and there was only one person that could give it to him. He just needed to find a way out.

Henry trudged through the dim halls, ink coating his pant legs and shoes. Joey was definitely paying for his dry cleaning. He made his way to a room with strange markings painted on the floor. As he got closer, everything around him began to shake. A terrible pain lanced through his skull as well as images that made little sense to him. Not that he had time to really think about it. His consciousness left him as soon as he hit the floor.

Henry's adventures in the studio continued as soon as he came to. He wandered through unfamiliar territory. The building turned out to be bigger than he expected. He wouldn't let that deter him. He would find his way out and get some answers from his old pal.

Along the way, he ran into all manner of creatures made of ink. From vaguely humanoid beings that emerged from inky puddles to a crazed man who called himself a prophet. Besides the demon that nipped at his heels, he ran into monsters and even angels.

Henry managed to make a friend in the form of Boris. The toon wolf was a saving grace in this hellhole. He never failed to cheer him up when he really needed it. Henry swore that he would take the wolf with him when he escaped the studio.

He thought his heart would break when the angel took Boris. And he tried so hard to save him, but he was too late. Putting the wolf down was the hardest thing he's ever had to do.

Everything after this was a blur. He was rescued by two characters that didn't know what to do with him. They didn't trust him and he felt the same. Henry didn't know who to trust anymore. He just wanted to go home.

The demon showed up and his rescuers left him behind to figure his own way out. Henry didn't know where he was going and this wasn't the first time he wondered what Joey was thinking when he built this place. An amusement park, a toy factory, and now a river of ink? Not to mention all the cans of bacon soup laying around. Every time Henry broke down and ate that bland stuff, it made him appreciate Linda's cooking even more. He missed her so much.

He crossed the river, ran into the good Alice and Tom, and held his own against an army of searchers and lost ones. They were getting close to the end, he could feel it.

Henry reached a point where his companions could no longer follow. Their fear of the ink was stronger than their need to know what was in the demon's lair. There was no turning back now. The ink demon had the key to his freedom and he would take it. No matter what.

He tried to ignore the fact that he was inside the Ink Machine or that there were lost ones forming behind small glass booths. He didn't know what was going on and the answers could wait until he got out of here.

A throne? Why was there a throne here? Henry could see the old cartoons he worked one projected onto the walls. A tingle ran up his spine. Something didn't feel right. There was a recording from Joey sitting on the throne along with a reel of film. 'The End.' was written on it. Joey said this was the key to defeating the demon.

Speaking of the demon: It was hiding behind the throne the whole time he was standing there! It let its presence be know in a big way. Henry watched in horror as the demon changed. The demon was intimidating before, but it was the stuff of nightmares now. Long muscular arms that ended in huge, clawed hands. Short, useless legs dangled below its torso. A large head, long horns, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Henry was frozen in place. The beast's deafening roar shook the walls.

Henry had little time to grab the reel when the demon backhanded him, sending him crashing through the wall. He was dazed as he stood up to run away. The demon phased through the walls and tried to run him down. 'Why would someone make it so complicated to open a door?!' he thought as he frantically grabbed a lever. He got knocked off his feet a few times before he could get the large door open. His hopes at it being the exit was dashed when it lead to another room.

This room was large and mostly empty save for some glass tubes that stood upright and disappeared into the ceiling. As far as he could tell, there was no way out. Henry found a valve on the other side of the room. He turned it and it powered up and caused ink to flow through the glass tubes.

A deep growl caught his attention. The beast was standing in the doorway. It stalked him, using its larger frame to keep Henry from bolting for the door. He hid behind a glass tube, using it as a shield. The demon seemed to grow frustrated because it couldn't grab him. It roared and shattered the tube, ink and glass flying everywhere.

Henry dove out of the way and ran toward another glass tube. He didn't know if this would help him. He just knew he couldn't let the beast get its claws on him or the film reel.

There was one more tube left. Henry panicked. There would be nowhere left to hide after this. The demon raised it's massive hand and shattered the glass tube. Ink rained down on Henry so much that he was momentarily blinded. He furiously wiped at his eyes to get rid of the ink. By the time he cleared his vision, the demon was gone.

Henry heard a loud click. Another door was opening on the other side of the room. Now was his chance. With the reel tucked under his arm, he ran for the open door. He was surprised when he ended up back at the throne room.

One of the projectors on the side of the throne was empty. Henry wasted no time in popping the reel into the slot. Henry froze at the sound of heavy footfalls and a deep growl from behind him. He turned to see the demon reaching out to him. He leaned back as far as he could go when the projector clicked on.

The demon stopped for a moment as an image appeared on the wall. It seemed curious as it turned, its attention drawn to the wall. The beast screeched and stepped back as the words, "The End" flashed onto the wall. The demon tried to flee, but the words popped up on another part of the wall, then another and another, until all the previous cartoons featured those magical words.

The beast snarled at Henry and turned on him just as a bright light flooded the chamber. It seemed to caused the demon a great deal of pain. It writhed around on the floor. Its body began to burn away in the light. Bendy reached out to him one more time before it threw its head back and let loose an agonizing screech. The demon's body dissolved as the light grew brighter.

The room grew so bright that Henry had to shield his eyes. This was it! He did it. He stopped the demon. After all the crap he's been through, he can finally leave this place. He was going to give Joey a piece of his mind. So he waited…

And waited…

Until…

Henry pushed open the door. He was greeted by yellowing walls, the smell of dust, and old posters of their beloved cartoons. He closed the door behind him and took a few steps in. "Alright Joey, I'm here. Let's see if we can find what you wanted me to see."

* * *

At first he didn't notice. He was too busy running for his life. Fear is a great motivator. It kept him going even when he felt incredibly tired. He sometimes got a odd case of déjà vu but he ignore it. He needed to get out of this place. He wanted to go home.

Over time, the déjà vu feeling grew stronger. Situations that should have surprised him or even scare him, barely got a response out of him. He felt tired all the time and he couldn't shake the feeling of hopelessness that curled up in his heart.

Little by little, déjà vu gave way to scattered memories. Soon Henry was able to piece together that he had been doing the same things over and over and over again. The realization that he couldn't escape nearly crushed him. He refused to believe that there was no way out. He just needed to find a way to break the cycle. He couldn't give up.

Something good Alice said to him managed to stick with him after a few runs. She told him that writing on the walls was the only way some of them could be heard. Henry tried to write messages to himself. To tell himself to turn back! To not turn on the machine. To do anything other than what he did to get himself trapped in this forsaken place.

The problem was, every time the loop restarted, all the messages Henry wrote were gone. He couldn't see them so he proceeded on his mission to start up the machine, thus starting the process all over again.

Henry wasn't sure how many loops he'd been through before good Alice gave him the glass. She said she found it on the upper level and it allowed her to see the hidden messages on the walls. He wasn't sure where it came from. Maybe he made it or someone else did, but he was happy to have it.

Once he was able to see the things he wrote previously, he was shocked by how frantic and desperate some of it was. He was frustrated. None of the warnings he wrote to himself worked. He grew angry and cursed Joey for getting him into this mess.

He needed answers. Since he knew he couldn't get them from Joey, Henry spent a few loops analyzing the various recordings that were scattered throughout the studio. Slowly, he pieced together what happened. He couldn't believe how low Joey had stooped to get what he wanted. All those people put their faith in him and he used them in the worse way possible.

He tried to anything he could think of to break the loop. One time, he tried to turn around and leave. They door locked behind him. He couldn't get it open. No matter what he threw at it, it wouldn't budge. If he had an axe, he could break it down. But the only one he could find was on the lower levels, AFTER he falls, so that wasn't an option.

In a few loops, Henry refused to even turn on the machine. He sat at his old desk or hung out in the break room. He played a few dozen rounds of pool and darts. He wasn't sure how long he did all of this, but nothing happened. Nothing changed. It was as though time had stopped. He finally caved and turned on the machine.

He tried talking to the other denizens of the studio. Maybe they could help him figure things out. That didn't work. He either confused them or they didn't listen to him. After awhile, he just stopped trying.

Henry even spent time with the lost ones. It took them a little while to warm up to him, but it was worth it. He felt bad that he thought they were monsters. Turns out, they were just poor souls that got sucked into this mess. They fell into despair and gave up hope of ever escaping this place. Their plight only added to the burden that was heaped onto his shoulders.

At his lowest, Henry decided to let the demon kill him. Anything had to be better than this. He quickly found out that he couldn't die! No, that's not true. He could die and each death was painful, but he always came back! The damn studio won't let him go, not even in death.

This was hell. He couldn't believe it. Joey created hell in the form of a cartoon studio. He'll never see his family again…

.

 **OoOoOoOoO**

 **.**

He was so tired. Tired of ink filled halls, tired of the creatures that attacked him, and tired of bacon soup. Sometimes he'd spent his time playing cards with Boris when he reached that point. The wolf was good company. He considered him a good friend too. This only increased the pain he felt every time he died. It slowly chipped away at his sanity.

* * *

So, here he was again. Standing before the ink demon's throne with the film reel tucked under his arm. All he had to do was load the film into the projector and this will all end. End? But... it never ends. It never ends! Never ends…never-

Something inside of him broke. He screamed and tossed the reel to the floor. It rolled a short distance before coming to a stop in the corner. Every thing he did and will do was pointless. "I can't do this anymore! " he shouted. Tears prickled at the corners of his eye. He hated to cry but he was too tired to stop it.

Henry heard the moment the demon entered the room. It snarled as it walked towards him. The beast stopped, grabbed him, and threw him across the room. Henry rolled across the floor in an ungraceful heap. He moaned and it took him a few tries, but he managed to get to his feet. He swayed slightly but that didn't stop him from glaring back at the demon.

"Go on, KILL ME!" He was tired, he was angry, and he didn't care anymore. Tears ran down his cheeks and blurred his vision. Hysterical laughter bubbled up his throat. "This doesn't matter! None of THIS-" he waved his arms around frantically, "MATTERS!"

Henry stomped up to the demon. The creature actually took a step back as he got closer. "So, go on and kill me." He had to crane his head back to look up at the demon. The beast's large head loomed over him. Its growl vibrated across his skin. Henry should have been scared, but he wasn't. He was done. "You and I both know that I'll just come back! I-I always come back…"

Henry's shoulders felt so heavy. The weight of everything that's happened up to this point was crushing him. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. The tears burned his eyes. His shoulders shook as he sobbed silently. He just wanted to go home! He wanted to return to Linda. What did he do to deserve this? _'Joey… Did you hate me that much?'_

The demon was literally breathing down his neck. A cold, inky stench wafted over his head. It just stood there. He didn't know what the demon was waiting for. Maybe it wanted to torture him before killing him. It wouldn't surprise him if that was the case.

Henry flinched when something heavy and wet laid against the top of his head. The demon's growls sounded different. The tone was different. I-It sounded like-

Henry was almost knocked off his feet when the demon head bumped him. Out of instinct, he reached out and grabbed the beast's head to keep himself from falling. Bendy huffed. The cold air blew the hair out of Henry's face. The demon head bumped him again, a little gentler this time.

Henry was so confused. Why wasn't it trying to tear him apart? What was going on? W-Was it…whining?

…

It was! It wasn't growling. It was whining. The tone had a hint of concern to it too.

He knew he was loosing it now. The demon, the beast that had been hounding him throughout the studio…was worried about him? This-This can't be right. This last loop had truly broken him. And yet...

Henry ran his hand across the beast's lower jaw. So far, he hadn't lost his hand to those sharp teeth. In fact, the beast tilted its head against the man's hand. The whining stopped but the demon continued to nuzzle him.

"Oh okay. I don't know what's going on." Henry wiped his tears away with his other hand. He chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. "Why are you doing this? Why aren't you killing me?"

 _ **"HeEenNrrRyyy."** _The voice was deep and garbled, but Bendy clearly said his name.

Henry was startled. "Y-You can talk?!"

The demon nodded slightly before taking a few steps back. Henry watched as Bendy's body melted and changed until he was back in his ink demon form. The demon shuffled until he was standing a foot from him. _**"Henry…"**_

Suddenly, Henry felt very angry. "Why?" he shouted. "Why did you do this?!" He closed the distance between himself and the demon. He didn't care if the creature was taller than him, he needed answers. "Why did you trap all these poor souls?"

The demon lowered his head. It grew quiet for a long time. Henry was starting to loose his patience. He opened his mouth to speak, but Bendy cut him off.

 _ **"You created me-"** _the demon waved his gloved hand at the room, _ **"but they gave me form.."**_ Henry closed his mouth. He wasn't expecting to actually get an answer.

 _ **"They were so happy that I came into being. I was the first."**_ Bendy's smile slipped into a frown. _**"Joey… He wasn't happy. I wasn't perfect."** _Henry grimaced. He remembered how much perfection meant to the man.

 _ **"He wanted me locked away or destroyed."** _The demon rubbed his hands together as if he were nervous. _**"Tom and some of the workers…they were kind to me. They let me stay with them in the offices. They taught me things. I was happy."**_

Bendy balled his hands into tight fists. _**"Joey was angry. He mocked me. Called me a monster. He said I was all wrong."**_ He pressed his fist against the side of his head and whined softly. _**"The others let him take me away. He threw me back into the ink."**_

Henry's brows knitted together. Something didn't add up. "If Joey threw you into the ink, why are you here? Why didn't you fade away?"

Bendy sighed and shook his head. _**"I don't have a soul for the ink to claim. I drifted through it for a long time, but I was finally able to pull myself together."**_ The demon stared at his hands. _**"I didn't come out right…"**_

Henry reached out and touched the demon's arm. "W-What happened next?"

Bendy looked down at him. _ **"I came back, but everyone was gone. Only ink creatures remained."**_ He tilted his head slightly. _ **"I thought they were like me, but they weren't. They had souls. Souls of the people who worked here. Souls of my friends. They were scared and in so much pain. I could feel it…"**_

The demon stepped back out of Henry's reach. He grabbed at his horns and whined loudly. _ **"I tried to save them!"**_

Henry blinked, "What?"

 _ **"I destroyed their bodies to set their souls free. It didn't work! The ink reclaimed their souls and trapped them in new bodies again."**_ He shook his head as the grip on his horns grew tighter. _**"I couldn't set them free!"**_

That wasn't the answer Henry thought he'd get. All this time, he thought the demon was to blame. He wasn't. Or at least, it wasn't completely his fault. He came closer to the distressed demon. Henry reached up and placed his hand on top of the demon's head. It startled Bendy enough that he stopped yanking on his horns.

"You can't free them because you didn't trap them in the first place." Henry let his hand fall limply to his side. "Joey…". Damn him! He sent him here to clean up his mess. The coward couldn't face what he'd done…

While Henry was lost in thought, Bendy picked film reel from the floor. He turned it over and studied it. It was such an innocent looking thing. Who would have guessed that two little words could end his existence. He finally got his hands on it. All he had to do was crush it. It would be so easy too. And once it's destroyed… then what? He'd go on existing forever? Did he really want that? Sure, he didn't want to fade away, but he wanted more than to just exist. He wanted to live! If he destroyed the reel, they would be stuck. No way forward and no way back. That wasn't the life he wanted. They both deserved better than that.

Henry didn't know how long he stood there running his fingers through his greying hair. The weight of everything he just learned kept him rooted in place. It was almost too much for him to handle. He whispered, "What am I gonna do?"

Henry jumped when a reel of film was thrust into his hands. He looked up to see Bendy smiling down at him. "B-Bendy. What are you-?"

 _ **"Take it."**_

He didn't understand. Surely the demon knew this was all pointless. The demon must experience the loops just like him. "Bendy…I-I can't… I can't do this anymore!"

The demon just smiled. _**"Yes you can."**_

Henry shook his head. Didn't the demon understand. Joey had created to perfect prison for them. "Why?"

The demon pointed to him. _**"Because I have faith in you, creator."**_

Henry was stunned. This wasn't the first time someone in this place put their hopes on him. Even good Alice believed that he could save them all. It just surprised him to hear such sentiment from the demon. It moved him in a way he couldn't describe.

"Bendy, I…" Henry's breath hitched as he pressed the reel against his chest. He didn't know if he could change their fates, but he needed to try. There had to be a way to break this loop. He was going to find it! Joey won't get away with this.

Henry chuckled. He had all but gave up at this point. It took a demon, his very own creation, to renew his hope. He reached up and placed his hand on Bendy's cheek. "Thank you."

Bendy sighed and backed up. He stood where he had a good view of the images projected on the walls. This part always hurt, but it was worth it as long as Henry didn't give up.

Henry stood by the throne and loaded the film into the empty projector. Before he turned it on, he turned back to the demon.

"Bendy. Joey was wrong." The demon tilted his head. Henry pointed at the film reel. "This might be the end, but it's not 'The End'. As long as someone remembers you, you will never fade away."

Bendy was taken aback. He always tied his existence to the cartoons that played continuously throughout the studio. It's why he fought so hard to stop Henry. It never occurred to him that there might be another way to secure his own existence. It made him happy knowing that Henry will never forget him. _**"Thank you, creator."**_

There was a soft click and the final reel started to play. Those fateful words, "The End" flashed onto the walls of the chamber. Soon the room was bathed in an unnaturally light. The demon hissed as his body slowly burned away.

That sense of hopelessness melted away as well. The heavy weight on his shoulders felt a little lighter. He knew it would never go away, but he didn't feel like he was being crushed anymore.

The last thing Henry saw before the light grew too bright, was the demon's smile. "Heh, see you on the other side buddy."

.  
Henry pushed open the door. He was greeted by yellowing walls, the smell of dust, and old posters of their beloved cartoons. He closed the door behind him and took a few steps in. "Alright Joey, I'm here. Let's see if we can find what you wanted me to see."

...

..

.


	2. Is This The End?

**A/N: This is my attempt at trying to break the loop. Chapter 5 spoiler-ish.**

 **Disclaimer: Bend and the Ink Machine belong to The Kindly Beast. I just play with the characters.**

* * *

Henry was wandering the halls of the studio. Every time he completed a loop, he took the time to go over what he had learned. Repetition made remembering things that happened in previous loops a little easier. Especially the recordings from previous employees.

It baffled him just how much crap they took from Joey only for the man to turn on them. Pipes bursting over their heads, the constant noise from the machine, and Joey squeezing more and more out of his workers. Henry was glad he got out when he did. The working conditions must have been horrible.

Some recordings were harder to listen to than others. The ones involving Susie was tragic and pitiful at the same time. Joey really duped that poor girl. What he did to her was just plain wrong.

There were clues in these recordings. He just needed to find them. Henry would listen to certain recordings repeatedly. At some point, the ones he deemed important, he put small symbols near the recorders. This told him that they were important. He didn't want to write his thoughts down. It always felt like someone was watching him. It may sound crazy, but he was afraid things might change if he let his thoughts be known.

Henry found himself interested in the recordings of three particular people. Wally, Joey, and Thomas. The ones from Thomas really got his attention. It sounded like he was the guy that maintained the machine. At some point he left the studio. Then the job got passed to Wally. By the looks of this place, he did a lousy job. Still, there was some niggling at the back of his mind. Something that told him he could use this information if he could just piece it all together!

Sometimes Henry would rush through the first few floors knowing that he couldn't stop the events from happening. Bendy would still swipe at him once he got to the boarded up room. The demon would save him from Sammy only to chase him down the flooded hallway until Henry slammed the door in his face.

Henry could hear Bendy pounding on the door as he caught his breath. Sometimes a soft whine could be heard on the other side of it. That reminded him that the demon suffered the loops just like him. He placed his hands on the door, then lean against it. He knew Bendy was still there.

"Hey bud, I know you're tired. I am too." Henry rested his forehead against the cool wood of the door. "Just hang in there. I'll get us out of this mess, somehow." He was met with silence for a few seconds before the sound of Bendy shuffling away could be heard. Henry sighed and moved on. He had to meet up with Boris.

* * *

There was no animosity between them. They both had a role to play in this story. Henry would run and he would chase him. Then they get to the end only to go through it all over again. Just because these roles were forced on them didn't mean he had to like it. Every time he watched Henry fall or get attacked by Sammy, made him hate this situation more and more.

He couldn't blame the man for lingering inside Boris' sanctuary a little longer than he needed to. The wolf was one of the few creatures down here that Henry could relax around. He can get some much needed rest before confronting the angel.

Sometimes Bendy wished he could join Henry in that sanctuary. He just wanted to stray from the path that was set for him so he could spend a little time with his creator. But he couldn't do it no matter how much he wanted to. Most of the creatures in the studio were scared of him, including Boris. He felt bad for making him cower whenever he got too close to the elevator. He had no intention of attacking him, but the soul that made up Boris didn't know that.

Still, Henry would do little things to let him know he wasn't giving up. Like talking to him through the door or the way he would touch his cutouts whenever he walked by one. Bendy could 'see' how much it pained him when the Angel ordered him to destroy them. It made him feel better knowing that his creator didn't do it maliciously. If anyone could free them all, it was Henry. Bendy had faith in him.

* * *

Henry swayed in the hammock and let his mind wander. He was on to something, he just knew it. It has something to do with the machine itself. The Machine. How did it even work? From the snippets he could understand from Thomas' recordings, it was able to mix of science and magic. Sounds like he didn't understand it himself and it made him uneasy.

A machine that can produce life size models of cartoon characters and bring them to life. Bendy was the first one created, but something was off about him. Henry assumed that he wasn't the cheerful character Joey envisioned. Thomas said something about needing souls or something. Looks like Joey took that idea and ran with.

Henry sat up and shook his head. He'd been mulling over all of this for quite some time and it was starting to give him a headache. Maybe he'll play a few more rounds of Poker with Boris before heading out. Henry eased out of the hammock and walked over to the corner where he left his shoes.

He pressed one hand against the wall to keep his balance as he put on his shoes. Henry froze when he noticed something strange about the wall. It felt damp. He leaned in closer to get a better look. In the dim light, he could barely see anything out of the ordinary, but there was no mistaking the dampness of the wood. In fact, even the air around him, with its lingering stench of ink, was moist.

"No way!" Henry paced the room and touched the walls. They all felt slightly wet. Why hadn't he noticed this before? The ink was EVERYWHERE! From busted pipes to flooded rooms and hallways. Why wouldn't the walls be soaked in the stuff. Ink. Ink that was infused with souls and could bring a character like Boris to life! A blending of science and magic… Ink that could turn a simple animation studio into a trap with no way out.

Then there is the machine itself. It produced the ink or at least pushed the stuff through the pipes that ran throughout the entire building. Maybe if he could find someway to shut it all down. Henry groaned. He had no idea how the damn thing worked! Sure, he saw a few sketches of it scattered here and there, but they didn't have enough detail to help him right now. He didn't know what to do…but maybe someone else does…

Henry shuffled into the room where Boris was sitting at the table. He barely heard the tune playing on the radio as he sagged into the chair. He was lost in thought. Different ideas crossed his mind. Some were good while others he dismissed outright.

Boris took notice of how distracted his friend was and tapped the table to get his attention.

"Huh, what?" Henry looked across the table to see the wolf staring at him. "Oh, sorry Boris. I'm just trying to figure some things out." The wolf pointed to his ear then pointed at Henry. "Heh, you wanna hear my ideas?" Boris nodded.

Henry leaned back in his chair and began to tell the wolf what was on his mind. He wasn't sure if Boris understood his rantings, but at least he was humoring him. The more he talk, the more a plan began to piece together. Henry was surprise how much saying all this stuff out loud was helping. By the time he was done, he had a clearer picture of what he wanted to do.

"So, that's the plan." Henry ran his hand down his face. "I dunno if it's gonna work. I could go through all that trouble and nothing will change." Boris looked around the room, shrugged his shoulders, then pointed at Henry. The man chuckled. The wolf couldn't talk, but he knew how to get his point across. "You're right. I've got nothin' to loose."

Henry stood up and headed for the stove. He'd been resting in here long enough. It was time to get going. He heated up the bacon soup and served it to the living toon. Boris gave him the handle and he used it to open the door. Before they left the safe room, Henry pulled the wolf into a hug. "Thanks buddy." He sounded hesitant. "If this works, I'll be able to free you too." The only response he received was a slight squeeze from the wolf.

Henry rushed through the tasks Alice gave him. He just wanted to get this part over with. He did slow down when he reached the 14th floor. He watched from a distance as the poor soul plodded through the flooded corridors. Norman. Another victim of Joey's experiments. Although, Henry had a sneaking suspicion it had more to do with the man pension for spying on everyone. As Henry kept a good distance between them and collected the hearts he needed, he studied the projectionist more intently. "Hmm, I wonder…"

.

 **OoOoOoOoO**

 **.**

If Henry had any doubts that the ink influenced everything within the studio, it was all put to rest when he walked away from that elevator crash with just a few bumps and bruises. That fall SHOULD have killed him. It was almost as if some twisted form of cartoon logic held sway in this place.

The several falls he'd been through hadn't hurt as bad as the strange flashes he experienced in this part of the studio. Everything around him would glow so bright that he had to squint. He'd start to hallucinate and it always left him with a splitting headache. He wasn't sure why it happened or what it meant and since he was alone when it happened, he wasn't sure if anyone else experienced it. Even when he knew it was going to happen, it didn't stop his heart from racing every time.

He felt so bad for the lost ones. Their despair was thick in the air. It made Henry's shoulders feel heavy every time he walked into that room. Sometimes he got angry when he looked into their glowing eyes. How in the world could someone do this to another human being?

Henry tried to move through the carnival area as quickly as possible. He really didn't feel like playing games but it was the only way to get the doors open. If he EVER met Wally, he'd have a serious discussion about his ideas of 'fun'.

He finally opened a door that lead to the train area where Norman lurked. For the life of him, Henry couldn't figure out how he ended up down there. He waited for the flickering light of the projector to fade before descending the steps. He really didn't like this part.

Henry spent a few minutes evading the projectionist and flipping the switches he needed to move on. When the lights went out, Norman disappeared. He took a few deep breaths to ready himself for what was to come.

He ran past the collection of ink hearts and headed for the steps. The flashing lights behind him had him racing up the stairs. He dove into the Little Miracle Station and waited. The way Norman was staring at him made him wonder if the poor soul recognized him as something other than another ink creature wandering the halls. Not that he'll ever find out.

The flashes signaled that Bendy was coming. The demon squared off against the projectionist and they started swinging. For a moment, they were equally matched. Norman didn't cower from the demon like the others did. Nor did he turn into a puddle of ink at the demon's touch. In the end, Bendy proved to be the stronger of the two as he grabbed the projectionist by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Henry sighed. _'Poor Norman…Norman? Norman!'_

"BENDY WAIT!" Henry shouted through the slot in the door. "D-Don't kill him!" The flashes was making it hard to see what was going on. He just hoped the demon listened to him. "WE NEED HIM!" His head was pounding. He wanted to sit down, but he needed Bendy to listen to him. "We need him." He said breathlessly.

Bendy froze at the sound of Henry's voice. He held the projectionist by the throat, his feet kicking uselessly. The demon growled and slammed Norman into the wall by the station. He did it so hard that the box Henry was hiding in shook.

The demon dropped him and Norman slid against the wall. He was laying on the floor, unconscious. The demon took a step back and peered through the slot. "Henry?"

Henry sat on the bench and had his eyes closed. The pounding in his head was making him feel nauseous. It was lasting a lot longer than usual. "I-I'm okay." He rubbed at his temples and concentrated. "Can you drag him to the throne room? J-Just tie him up and sit him in the corner." Henry leaned forward and stuck his fingers through the slot. "I promise, it'll make sense when I get there."

Bendy stood there for a moment. Henry wasn't sure what would happen until the demon grabbed Norman by the leg and dragged him away. As soon as they were gone, the flashing stopped. He sat back and took a couple of deep breaths. His head really hurt and all he wanted to do was lay down for a few hours. But he couldn't, not now. Once he finished his business with Boris, then he could rest.

"Heh, looks like I'm being punished for improvising." Henry stood up and pushed the door open. There was a smear of ink that lead to a wall further down the hall. Norman's head wasn't on the floor. Looks like Bendy dragged him away intact.

Henry was feeling a little sluggish as his headache subsided slightly. He hoped that Boris didn't knock him around too much. If his plan worked, it'll be worth the pain he's going through now.

.

 **OoOoOoOoO**

 **.**

He practically welcomed the cot in the tiny, makeshift cell that Tom and Alice put him in. That last fight with Boris was brutal. The pounding in his head distracted him to the point where it was hard to dodge the wolf's attacks. He was sore all over and really needed the down time.

Alice and Tom. His saviors and his captors. They were quite unusual. They weren't hostile towards him like other ink creatures in the studio but they didn't trust him either. He couldn't blame them. Compared to everything else down here, he was the strange one.

Something about the two bothered him. Alice didn't remember her real name. Whatever the ink did to her tried to wipe her memories in the attempt to make her the perfect Alice. He supposed it's easier to accept your role when you didn't remember who you used to be. Just look at Susie. The poor woman's mind fractured and she became a corrupted form of the character she loved the most. The writings and drawings on the walls indicated that deep down, Alice still remembered something. That gave him hope.

Then there's Tom. He was nothing like his Boris. Tom didn't trust him at all. All he did was scowl at him and watched him all the time. It got worse when Alice was around. He was very protective of her and didn't like the angel talking to him. Seems like the wolf might be sweet on the angel.

The other thing that distinguished Tom from his Boris was the robotic arm he was sporting. Henry wondered how the wolf lost his arm. He tried asking once and Tom refused to answer him. The arm looked like it belonged to the animatronic in the Bendy Land section of the studio. Somehow he got that thing to work! It took a pretty good engineer to pull that off. If Tom was who he thought he was, then he'd definitely need his help.

At some point the angel handed him the glass he needed to see the hidden messages on the wall. He realized that he probably lost it during the Boris fight. She must have found it in all that destruction the brute left behind. Well, that solved the mystery of how she gives it to him but he still didn't know who made it. The fact that a spoon lead to a hidden door baffled him to no end. He tried not to think about these things too much. It would only make his head hurt more.

Henry needed to get as much rest as he could. Bendy would come soon and he'd make his great escape. He will put the last pieces of his plan into place and pray to anyone listening that it works.

Henry fled the safe room, took a boat across an inky river, and made his way to a little village constructed by the searchers and lost ones. Several fights broke out when Tom and Alice rejoined him. They fended off their attackers and moved on only to have him fall down several floors, again. Henry grew so tired of this.

He ran through the office area as quickly as he could. He needed those pipes so he could drain the ink from the next area. The Butcher Gang were a real pain in the ass. He tried to hide from them as he grabbed the thick ink from the fountain. After awhile he got impatient and just went for it. Now he just needed one more pipe and he had the trio nipping at his heels.

He really missed his axe. Henry wondered why he kept loosing his weapons when he really needed them. They either broke or he lost them whenever he fell. It was getting rather annoying by this point.

He had the Little Miracle Station in his sights when inky shadows spread across the floor and walls. Henry heard screams from behind him. The inky veins came into contact with their bodies and they melted into puddles of ink. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked around, but he didn't see Bendy anywhere. The shadows moved across the room until they faded away. "Thanks bud." He whispered.

Henry installed the last pipe and drained the hall leading to the next area. The Vault. Tom and Alice will join him there. Soon he'll put his plan into action and hopefully they will be free from this place.

He stepped into the vault and looked around. Boxes of film littered the floor and a large wooden crate sat in the corner. There was an extremely large reel of film leaning against the wall. Henry wondered if there was a projector big enough to play it down here. He sure didn't remember coming across one.

Henry stood near the box with the extra film reels and waited. Soon enough, the wolf and the angel showed up. Alice remarked that whatever was there, was gone, and he told them that they needed to go to the demon's lair. Of course they thought he was crazy but agreed to come with him.

After Tom tore through the locked metal door, they walked down the tight corridor. They turned the corner and came across his old desk. Actually, it looked like his old desk. His real desk had an invisible message on it he wrote during a particularly frustrating loop. Henry stared at it for a moment and wondered why it was even down here in the first place. It was just one more thing that'll remain a mystery to him.

They turned the corner and came to a long hall with a large glass window to their right. They only walked a few feet when Alice whispered, "Quiet! Don't make any noise." They stood their and waited as the inky shadows crawled up the wall. Bendy shuffled down the opposite hallway.

He seemed oblivious to their presence. Maybe Bendy couldn't see them through the thick glass. Henry didn't say a word as he pressed his hand against the glass. The ink demon stopped and turned towards him slowly. They stared at each other for a few moments, then the demon continued on his path.

"Henry? What was that?!" The angel sounded scared and a little confused. He reassured her that everything was fine but they needed to move on. Tom eyed him suspiciously. Henry ignored him. They were getting close to the end and he didn't want to get into an argument with the wolf.

The hall ended into a wide open chamber. Before them was the source of all their troubles: the Ink Machine. The first time he saw it, he was in awe at how immense it was. He thought the machine that he watch rise up to the first floor was impressive but the main part put that to shame. Now, he wanted to curse the damn thing for getting them into this mess.

Henry knew Tom and Alice wasn't aware of the loops because every time they came this point, she was always amazed by the sight of the large machine. It was like she was seeing it for the first time.

As the angel spoke, his mind began to wander. There might be a way to get them all across the inky moat. He just hoped they'll trust him. Henry snapped out of his thoughts when the angel mentioned building a raft.

"Alice, we do have the materials to build a raft." The angel looked surprised. The wolf looked skeptical.

At least he had their attention. Now comes the hard part. "We might be able to build something to get you both across without touching the ink." Tom huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Look, I don't want to leave you two behind!" That was only partly true but he won't say anything else until he was sure he could get them across.

The angel reached out and touched the wolf's shoulder. "Tom, we need to try. Please?" Tom stared at her for a few seconds. Henry could see the indecision on his face. The wolf finally agreed if reluctantly.

"Okay, follow me." Henry lead them back to the vault area. He pointed to the large wooden crate in the corner. He asked Tom to pry the top and bottom off while keeping the nails intact. After this was done, it was easy to separate the four sides. Henry and Alice lined the sides up until they formed a large square on the floor. He instructed the wolf to lay the top of the crate near the center of the square and pound down on it to drive the long nails through the wood.

Tom's face lit up when he realized what Henry was trying to do. The wolf did as instructed and when he was sure the wood was secure, they flipped it over and did the same thing for the other side. By the time they were done, they were left with a large wooden square that was sturdy and hopefully floats.

"This should make a good raft don't ya think?" Alice walked around the makeshift structure and studied their handiwork.

"Huh, very clever Henry. This just might work." She smiled and Tom actually looked hopeful. They picked up the raft and carried it back to the chamber. They laid the large wooden square carefully into the ink. It bobbed and floated in the murky liquid.

"Well it floats." Henry chuckled. "Now to test it out." He carefully stepped onto the square. It tilted and the edge dipped into the ink. As he stood near the center, the raft leveled out and bobbed on the surface. It was holding his weight. It worked! This was the first time Henry was grateful the ink was thicker than water. It made it easier for the raft to float on.

Tom pumped his fist in the air and Alice cheered. "You did it Henry! We can make it across." Henry jumped off the raft and into the inky moat. He pushed the raft against the bank to steady it. "Alright, we're gonna do this one at a time to be on the safe side. You're first Alice. I'll push you across and then I'll come back for Tom."

She took a deep breath and stepped onto the wood. She made her way to the center quickly when the edge dipped into the ink. The angel waited for the raft to settle then told Henry she was ready.

He pulled on the edge of the raft to move it away from the bank. Henry went behind it and began to push. He had to do it slowly and he was going to feel it in his back later, but it'll be worth it if his plan works. He pushed the raft across the moat and to the steps leading up to the machine. Henry got as close as he could and told the angel she'd have to jump the rest of the way.

As soon as her feet hit solid ground, Henry headed back for Tom. The wolf looked anxious as he hopped from foot to foot. Henry supposed he didn't like leaving the angel alone for too long. Tom practically jumped on the raft and sent a small waved crashing into Henry's chest.

"Gee, thanks Tom." Henry scowled at the wolf but Tom was too busy staring at the other end of the moat. He was rubbing his hands together and would glance down at Henry every once and awhile. His pie cut eyes were tilted in silent worry. Henry sighed and pushed the raft through the ink. He couldn't begrudge the wolf for his anxiousness. This was new territory for him and he wasn't sure what might happen.

As soon as they got close to the steps, Tom jumped off the raft and engulfed the angel in a hug. Alice spent that time trying to calm the wolf down as Henry climbed out of the ink. He gave them a moment before clearing his throat to get their attention.

"Alright guys, let's go." The two ink beings followed close behind him as he lead them into the machine. The corridor was dimly lit and they could hear the steady hum of machinery all around them.

Alice came to a stop near a glass chamber that was half submerged in ink. There was a handprint and something written on the back wall. " _I still remember my name."_ she whispered. "What does that mean?"

Tom was acting strangely. He kept touching the walls and he looked confused. He turned in a complete circle and the look on his face morphed from confusion to slight panic. Something about the place was putting him on edge.

They moved further in. The angel gasped as she saw the lost ones forming behind the glass. Tom stared at the Boris figure and his mechanical hand started to shake. He reached up and gripped his head as if he were in great pain. The wolf hunched over and stumbled away from the chamber. The angel was at his side and she tried to calm him down.

Henry tried to say something to them, but another flash started. The corridor was awash in bright gold and red light. The lost ones were banging on the glass and screaming to be let out. The light assaulted his senses so badly that he stumbled back. His breathing became labored when he started to panic.

"Henry! Henry, what's wrong?" The angel had her hands on his shoulders and was shaking him. The fact that she was talking to him and didn't notice the chaos going on around them, let him know that he was the only one experiencing this.

He took a few deep breaths to steady his nerves and managed to stutter out that he was okay. That was a lie. By the time the flashes and hallucinations stopped, his head was pounding. The angel stood close to him and rubbed his back. After a few moments, he was able to straighten up and he thanked her for her concern.

Tom wasn't looking at the Boris clone anymore. He was staring at his metal hand. His eyes were squinted and he seemed to be lost in thought. Henry approached him with the angel close behind.

"Tom. Do you know what this is?" Henry waved in the general direction of the hallway. The wolf looked up at him with a frown on his face. He looked around again. His shoulders sagged and he nodded slowly.

"How? We've never been here before?" the angel asked. He shrugged and confusion played across his features.

"You recognize this place, but you don't know how?" He nodded again. Henry sighed. Well, this was a start. Time to see if his hunch is right. Henry reached out and pulled the lever that caused the heavy metal doors to slide open. They followed him as he lead them to the throne room.

Tom and Alice stepped into the room with wide eyes. There were cartoons playing on screens attached to the walls. The images kept looping over and over, images of not just Bendy, but of the characters they were suppose to be. They didn't seem to notice the large chair with chains attached to the back. Those chains. Henry wondered why they were their. He had his suspicions, but he couldn't voice them now.

"Henry? W-What is this place?" Alice sounded scared. Tom was scowling at him. The wolf pointed to him, silently demanding answers. He sighed and just hoped they'd hear him out. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Alice gasped and Tom jumped in front of her. They were both looking at something behind him. Henry turned towards the throne.

Bendy was staring at them from behind the chair. Henry was surprised because he hadn't played Joey's recording yet. The demon was quiet as well. He wasn't growling or anything. Maybe he didn't want to scare off Tom and Alice even if he wasn't expecting them to be there.

"Hey Bendy." Henry tried to sound as casual as possible. "Why don't you come out here and meet my friends." The demon shuffled from behind the large chair and walked up to them.

"Henry, what the hell are you doing?" Alice's panicked whispers made him flinch. Tom was shaking his metal fist at him while shielding the angel from the incoming demon. They were trying to back out of the room.

"I know how this looks-" Henry raised his hands in a placating manner. He needed to calm them down. "he's not going to hurt you." Bendy stood next to him and stared at the duo. "I brought you here because I need your help!"

They both looked at him like he was crazy. "A-Are you working with the demon?" They stopped moving at least. Henry ploughed on.

"Kinda." The alarm on both of their faces had him talking quickly. "This room we're in, this machine, is the cause of all our problems. I need your help to shut it down." Tom blinked, then looked around the room. He looked back at Henry with narrowed eyes. The wolf shook his head.

Henry ran his fingers through his hair. He was getting desperate. They were so close, he can't blow it now! "I don't know anything about this machine, but I think you do! Please Tom, I can't do this without you."

Bendy tilted his head slightly when he heard the wolf's name. " _ **Tom?**_ "

The wolf and angel startled. They never heard the demon speak before. They looked at each other for a few moments. Alice whispered something to Tom before looking back at Henry.

"He's not going to hurt us?" Her eyes darted towards the demon then back at him. "How can we trust him?" Henry looked at Bendy. The demon's smile hadn't changed, but his hand twitched slightly. " _ **I didn't know…**_ " he mumbled softly.

"I know you don't trust him-" Henry turned to look Alice and Tom in the eyes. "but you can trust me. If we can shut the machine down, maybe-maybe we can end all this." He lowered his head and stared at the floor. "I just want to leave this place."

Bendy rested his hand on Henry's shoulder. He appreciated that his creator kept trying but he knew that the man was at the end of his rope. The demon wasn't sure what the man might do if this didn't work. He wasn't sure he could talk the man out of giving up next time.

"Henry?" He looked up. Alice's eyes were a little too wide and she couldn't hide her fear. Tom never took his eyes off them. The suspicion was still there but it was tinged with curiosity. "What do you need us to do?"

He breathed a sigh of relief and all the tension drained out of his body. They were willing to listen to him! They were willing to help.

The room grew quiet when Henry realized he was missing something. "Bendy? Where's Norman?" He was so busy trying to convince the others to help him, he forgot about the projectionist.

Bendy pointed to the corner on the other side of the room. Norman was sitting on the floor, tied up, and not making a sound. Henry wondered why until he got a good look at the speaker in his chest or lack there of. All he could see was exposed wires. He looked to the demon for an explanation. Bendy just shrugged and said, " ** _He wouldn't stop screaming._** " Henry wanted to say something, but he didn't. Norman was still in one piece. That's all that mattered right now.

Henry stared at the wall that Bendy usually knocked him through. He knew the rest of the area was there, but he didn't feel like running through that part to get to the power room. Even though he had the path to the levers marked, he didn't feel like doing all of that.

He walked past Alice and Tom and back out into the hallway. Bendy kept his distance. His touch was still dangerous to them. Henry stood by the hidden metal door in the wall. He tapped it lightly. "There's a door here. Tom, can you help me pry it open?"

The wolf walked over to see what Henry was talking about. The door blended in with the rest of the wall. No wonder they missed it. Tom cracked his knuckles before he gripped the metal door by its seam. This door was bigger and thicker than the door he punched to get them through the vault. Even with Henry's help and all his strength, they only got the doors to part a little bit.

Bendy growled softly and it startled Alice. She watched as the demon's hands grew larger. His arms stretched and grew muscular. The demon's body changed before her eyes. Soon he towered over her with a large head and a wide mouth full of sharp teeth. She stumbled back as he walked past her on his knuckles.

The demon reached out and managed to get his long fingers into the gap Henry and Tom made. Tom was startled, but to his credit, he didn't let go of the door. It only took one good tug from Bendy to get the doors opened. Alice and Tom were surprised, but Henry wasn't. If Bendy could rip that heavy vault door (it was a good foot thick too!) off its hinges, then these doors are a piece of cake. He reached out and patted the demon on the forearm. "Thank buddy." The demon grinned toothily.

Henry, Tom, and Alice stepped through the doorway with Bendy bringing up the rear. They walked a short distance until they came to a large room with four empty glass tubes on either side of the room. There were more cartoons playing on loop, projected on a bunch of screens.

Tom noticed the valve on the other side of the room and headed towards it. He turned it and four lights lit up near four numbers. There was a slight rumble when ink began to fill the tubes. It bubbled and churned violently. Tom took it all in and he suddenly looked angry.

"Tom, what's wrong?" He gave Henry an incredulous look. The wolf moved to the right of the valve and ripped a panel off the wall. There were four smaller glass tubes full of ink running through the wall. They merged into one large tube with a gauge attached to it. Tom tapped the gauge with his metal fingers. The needle was all the way into the red.

"Oh wow. The pressure's too high." Alice stood next to Henry and Bendy was looming over Tom's shoulder. "No wonder the pipes keep bursting around here. They can't hold up to this kind of strain." Tom pointed to the angel and nodded vigorously.

"Can you shut it down?" Henry asked. Tom rubbed his chin as he stared at the gauge closely. He started pantomiming to Alice. "Um, I think we have to bring the pressure under control first then we can shut it down." The wolf beamed at her and gave her a quick hug.

Bendy barely got out of the way when the wolf snapped his fingers and ran to the other side of the room. The others followed close behind. He tapped at the walls and pried another panel open. There were a bunch of pipes there, a small electrical panel, and a large switch. The words 'SAFETY' was written above the switch.

The pipes seemed to be in good shape save for a cross shaped pipe. It had large cracks running through it and ink oozed from them. Tom grabbed the pipe with his metal hand. He pulled on it until it came free of the wall. He stepped back as ink sprayed out of the pipes it was connected to. The wolf frowned as he showed the corroded pipe to Henry. It was rusted and clogged with bits of metal and ink.

"This looks bad." Henry took the pipe and studied it. The shape. It looked so familiar. Then it hit him. The Gent machine near the offices. He could make a brand new pipe! "You need a pipe like this, right?" Tom nodded. "I know where to find one!" He put the pipe on the ground. "Make sure everything else is working. I'll be back as fast as I can."

Henry took off without receiving an answer. He headed for the doorway when a large hand grabbed his arm. Bendy held him tight and whined softly. "It's okay bud." Henry reached out and rubbed the beast's lower jaw. "You got rid of the Butcher Gang in that area, remember?" Bendy nodded slowly. He let go of Henry's arm and tried to follow him.

"No Bendy, I need you to stay here." The demon growled. He didn't want Henry to go alone. "Listen, I need you to look after them. If this place pulls some last minute bull crap, I don't want anything to happen to them. We're too close to ending all of this. Please." Bendy reluctantly agreed. He leaned down and head bumped Henry gently. "Heh, thanks bud."

* * *

Henry ran through the throne room, past the glass chambers, and through the inky moat. He ran through the halls and back to the vault. He just needed to get some thick ink from the fountain in the office area to make the pipe he needed. Henry ignored the chill that ran up his spine as he made his way through the maze like area. It was too quiet and it was starting to get to him.

Henry caught his breath when he reached the fountain. He plucked the blob of thick ink from the murky liquid when he heard a splashing sound from behind him. He spun around and saw searchers crawling out of the once empty offices. One of them was bigger than the others and wore a Bendy mask.

Henry knew who it was instantly. "Oh god, Sammy?" He wasn't expecting the prophet to come back. At least, not like this. His heart sank at seeing the fanatic reduced to something like this.

The searchers pulled themselves towards him. Soon they had him surrounded and weaponless. Henry knew the studio would try to throw something at him at the last minute.

"Stop!" he shouted but they kept coming. He was so tired of all this crap. "I said, STOP!" Much to his surprise, they stopped. Henry took a few deep breaths to stop himself from shaking. "I know you can understand me. I saw the little village you built down here with the lost ones. I KNOW you're not mindless!" They moaned and swayed in place.

He took a chance and he approached Sammy. The prophet looked up at him. Henry felt a twinge in his gut at the sight of the man like this. "I may have found a way to free us all. You have to let me try." Sammy stared at him for a long time.

Henry was sure he was going to attack him, but he turned to the other searchers and moaned. They moaned to one another before moving off to the sides, clearing a path for him. Sammy turned back to him and grunted. That twinge in his gut grew stronger. The enormity of what he was about to do finally hit him. He had everyone's hopes riding on this plan he cobbled together. He didn't want to let them down.

"Thank you, Sammy." The large searcher moved to the side to let him pass. Henry hurried to the Gent machine, inserted the ink, and produced the cross shaped pipe he needed. He rushed back to the power room where he hoped nothing else would come up.

* * *

When Henry finally made it to the others, he was greeted by a strange sight. Tom had dropped to his knees and pulled up a grate from the floor. There were pipes that ran through the floor half submerged in ink. While he inspected the pipes, Bendy was leaning on his elbows and looming over the wolf's shoulder again. He was watching the wolf work. Tom was so busy with what he was doing, he didn't seem to notice. Henry thought the demon was acting oddly but kept it to himself.

"I got it!" Henry announced as he held up the pipe. All eyes were on him. Bendy stood up and ran towards him. The demon nearly knocked him off his feet when he head bumped him again. Henry chuckled. "It's almost over."

"Henry, over here!" Alice waved him over to the leaking pipes in the wall. "Can you install it?" she looked a little sheepish. "We can't come into contact with the ink for too long.

"Heh, sure." He held the pipe up and pushed it into place. It took him a few tries because his hands were getting coated in ink, but he finally managed it. Henry shook the excess ink off his hands. "It's in!" he shouted.

Tom nodded and got to work. The pipe he was studying had a huge bolt attached to it. The words 'SAFETY' etched onto it. The wolf grabbed the bolt with his metal hand and twisted it until it loosened up. The whole room began to shutter.

Alice walked across the room to check the gauge. "95%…90%…85%…80%. It's working! The pressure's dropping." Tom and Bendy stood next to Henry. The wolf waited for the pressure to drop to 45%. He reached out and pulled the Safety switch.

The whole room shook. The glass tubes full of ink began to drain and a loud clicking sound echoed through the room. This went on for several minutes until the room stopped shaking and the lights went out. The clicking sound wound down, one final hiss, and the room grew quiet.

No one moved. They stood there in the dark and waited. They were waiting for the studio to throw one last thing at them, but nothing happened. The room was completely quiet save for the soft growls coming from Bendy. Henry released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "W-We did it?"

"I think so." The angel whispered. She sounded just as astonished as Henry felt. All those loops he'd been through. All the time he took to put this plan together. They actually did it! They shut the machine down.

"Henry?" the angel sounded apprehensive. "What do we do now?" He sighed. This was all new for him. "Well-" They were startled by a flash of light that came from the hall leading to the throne room. "We end this."

There was enough light coming from the hall to help them see as they made their way back to the throne room. The light was coming from a very agitated Norman. He squirmed in the corner as he tried to break his bonds.

"Bendy, bring him over here." Tom and Alice stood off to the side of the throne. Henry grabbed the film reel off the seat when Bendy dragged the projectionist from the corner. Norman continued to struggle as Henry approached him.

From his posture, Henry could tell the projectionist was glaring at him. The light was bright and he had to squint a little. He held up the reel of film so Norman could see it. The creature stopped struggling and tilted his head slightly. After a moment, he looked up at him.

Henry held the reel in front of him. He tapped the title with the tip of his finger, then nodded. Norman looked at the film reel again, then he looked at everyone else in the room. Norman stared at Henry for a few seconds then nodded. At some point, he realized what was being asked of him.

This was it. The moment of truth. If this doesn't work, he didn't know what to do. All the work he put into getting this far, if it failed, this may truly break him.

Norman sat still as Henry fit the reel into place. His hands shook as he fed the film through the projector. His nerves were getting the better of him. Bendy stood behind him and laid his head on Henry's shoulder. The demon was solid and his presence was oddly comforting. It reminded him that he wasn't alone in all of this. "Thanks bud." The beast grumbled softly. He stepped back, giving Henry enough room to work.

Once he was sure he loaded the film correctly, he pointed to one of the screens on the wall. Norman tilted his head in that direction, there was a soft click, and the film started to play. The dark screen lit up with the words, "The End."

They all stood there and stared at the screen. The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. A few seconds went by and nothing happened. Henry felt a pit form in his stomach. Did something go wrong? Did he need the machine running to get it to work? But if he turned it back on, everything he did would be for nothing! He didn't think he could do this again…

"Henry?" Alice was watching the screen. "What is this?" He could hear the confusion in her voice. He didn't have answers for her. He didn't know what to do! The thought that he got all their hopes up for nothing? It hurt! It really hurt…

"Alice-" all of a sudden, there was a flash. The room was alight in bright golds and fiery orange. At first Henry thought it was just another hallucination, but everyone in the room was experiencing it! It was working!

Screams of fear echoed off the walls. Norman's body began to shake. Henry had to grab the projectionist's head and kept it steady on the screen. Bendy was writhing on the floor. Parts of his body was dissolving, burning away in the bright light. A panicked scream from the angel caught his attention.

"What-What's happening?!" Tom had his arms wrapped around her. He held her tight as holes burned into parts of their bodies. They both looked like they were in great pain. The wolf didn't scream. He just glared daggers at Henry.

Henry flinched and he couldn't tell if it was from the bright light or the accusations being thrown at him by the wolf. He knew he should have told them what might happen, but he honestly didn't think they'd get this far and he really didn't want to scare them off. He wasn't expecting them to be in pain and the guilt made the pit in his stomach felt heavier.

A new, strange sound joined the screams. It sounded like someone was tearing paper. It was coming from the walls. The paint bubbled and peeled. The edges curled down to the floor. Henry could see the reddish brown tint of rusted metal underneath the paint. Henry thought about what was said on Joey's last recording. The illusion. It was peeling away to show the true nature of the studio underneath.

The brightness grew to such a degree that Henry had to let go of Norman's head to shield his eyes. He could no longer hear the screams and he realized he was the only one left.

"Please, please, please let this work…" he whispered. The light grew so bright that the room faded around him. The sound of tearing paper became a constant hiss and then, darkness…

…

.

* * *

 **EN: I thought I could wrap this story up in this chapter. I was wrong lol. One more chapter. You'll find out if Henry's plan worked or not.**


	3. He Will Set Us Free

**A/N: This story may contain a few small spoilers for chapter 5.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bendy and the Ink Machine. I just play with the characters.**

* * *

Joey stood at the sink. Most days he didn't have the energy to clean, but he felt he should make some effort since he had a guest coming over. He looked around his tiny kitchen and couldn't believe he had been reduced to this.

At one time, he was the most important person in his industry. His studio created cartoons beloved the world over. Everyone knew the name of the studio that brought smiles to the masses. Joey Drew Studios. A magical place that was full of dreams and imagination. He was the architect behind all of it. People looked to him and his studio for inspiration. He was on top of the world!

Now look at him. A broken old man in a small home with not a penny to his name. All his fame and fortune, gone. Very few remembered his name. After all the miracles he created, in the end, none of it mattered. They all lost faith in him and the studio suffered for it. They abandoned him and he lost everything.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the living room. His guest was here. Better get his little speech over with so he can send his old pal on his way.

"Henry? So soon?" Joey finished washing the last dish. "I hadn't expected you for another hour yet." Henry didn't say much so he filled the silence with the sound of his own voice. "Now you're just trying to impress me." More silence.

"I know, I know. You have questions." Henry was always so confused when he got to this point. "You always do." It didn't stop him from being curious though and Joey knew how to use that against him. Just like he'd done to the others.

"The only important question is this-" In the beginning, he enjoyed this little game, but now, it just wasn't as fun anymore. "Who are we, Henry?" Joey asked himself this every time he looked at himself in the mirror. He hardly recognizes himself anymore.

"I thought I knew who I was, but… the success starved me." He did a lot of terrible things to get what he wanted. He burned a lot of bridges. "Nothing left but lines on a page." Now he had nothing to show for it!

"In the end, we followed two different roads of are own making." Henry left him! Right when he needed him the most. "You, a lovely family." This part of the conversation always stung. "Me, a crooked empire." He envied the man. In the end, he got the better part of the deal. "And my road burned."

"I let OUR creations become my life." Henry abandoned him to deal with it all on his own! Joey finally turned to look at his friend. "The truth is, you were always so good at pushing, old friend." Henry knew how to get things done for him.

"…pushing me to do the right thing. " Henry kept him in check when his grand ideas got too big for them to handle. Without him, things spiraled out of control. "You should have pushed a little harder." He should have been there to stop him!

Joey settled on a stool behind the counter. His legs had grown weak over the years. He could move around a little, but he depended on his wheelchair more and more.

"Henry, come visit the old workshop…" Joey pointed to the door. Time to send his old friend on his way. "…there's something I want(need) to show you." Why did Henry leave him alone?

Henry… didn't move. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him. This caught Joey by surprise. This had never happened before. He didn't know what was going on.

"Henry, is something wrong?" Something wasn't right. Henry was suppose to leave. He was suppose to step through that door! He wasn't suppose to be standing here in his kitchen. He was staring at him like…like he knew what was going on. But that's impossible!

Henry shook his head and sighed. A look of pity crossed his face before his eyes hardened. Whatever was happening, Joey didn't like it.

"It's over Joey." Those three little words nearly floored him. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. Something had changed.

"What are you talking about old friend?" He needed to stay calm. He could fix this. Just pour on the charm and he could get Henry back on track. "I just wanted you to see the place where we created magic, for the last time."

"Enough! Just stop." Henry ran his fingers through his greying hair. He looked frustrated. "We will not play this game anymore."

Joey tilted his head slightly. "We?" A new sound got his attention. It sounded like footfalls, only much heavier. No one else should be here!

The sound got closer and a shadow was cast across the floor. Joey almost jumped out of his skin when a large head appeared in the doorway. "Y-You?! It can't be…you can't be here!" The creature froze at the sound of his voice. Its deep growl rumbled through the small kitchen. It ducked and managed to pull it's tall form through the doorway.

Joey tried to get to his feet, but his legs were shaking. Henry moved to the side to allow the beast to come closer to the counter. The kitchen felt even smaller with the creature standing there. He flinched when the monster raised one of its huge hands. It slammed its hand down on the counted and leaned over it.

The beast loomed over him. Its large head full of sharp, yellowing teeth mere inched from his face. Cold air with the stench of rancid ink wafted over his head. All Joey could do was sit there, shaking like a leaf. The beast was terrifying. There was a loud hiss as the creature took in air, then it opened its mouth, and roared.

The sound was deafening and it shook the room. At one point Joey screamed but it was drowned out by the creature's own rumblings. He shut his eyes tight and curled up on the stool. If this…THING was going to tear him apart, he didn't want to witness it.

So Joey waited, and waited, but nothing happened. The kitchen grew quiet save for the beast breathing down his neck. He knew it was here to pay him back for what he did to it. Was it toying with him? What was it waiting for?!

"Joey." The sudden sound of Henry's voice made him jump. "Look at him."

Joey shook his head frantically. Was Henry insane? He wasn't going to stare death in the face. If it was going to kill him, he didn't want to watch!

"JOEY! LOOK AT HIM!" The demand from his old friend caused him to freeze. Henry rarely raised his voice. Memories of their last argument came back to him. That was the one and only time the man yelled at him. Joey had asked too much of him that day. He wanted too much of the man's time. He had taken too much. That was the day Henry walked out and never looked back.

Joey finally opened his eyes. His view was dominated by a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth. The beast just stood there and even though he couldn't see its eyes, he knew it was studying him. The demon tilted its large head then huffed in his face. The smell of stale ink made him lean back as far as he could go without falling off the stool.

The beast backed away, giving Joey much needed breathing space. It stood next to Henry and they were both watching him.

"W-What's going on here?" He was upset and confused. This wasn't right. This had never happened before. That monster had no right to be in his home! There was a reason he locked it away. It was never meant to see the light of day. It was a reminder of his-

"Joey." Henry's calm voice cut through the chaos swirling in his mind. "It's done. Bendy will no longer be a symbol of your failures." Failures. He never claimed to be perfect, but he hated having his failures shoved in his face. It's the reason he got rid of this…MONSTROSITY in the first place!

"I will no longer be responsible for the problems you've caused." The truth of that statement cut too deep. Everything he'd done up to this point wasn't all his fault! If only the workers had more faith in him… If only Henry had stuck around to help him… If only…

Henry shook his head. "Bendy will no longer be chained to your past." It was almost like he could read Joey's mind. The disapproval in his eyes made him feel worse. Deep down, Joey knew that he had no one else to blame for the lives he ruined but himself. He just wasn't ready to admit to it.

Henry turned and headed towards the back door. The beast followed close behind. He paused when his hand touched the doorknob. He frowned slightly. "We will not bare the burden of your mistakes." He looked at Joey with a sad smile on his face. "I've freed us. Now, you need to free yourself."

Joey sat there, shell shocked. Henry made it sound so easy. He tried to move on after he lost everything. He just couldn't. Those that left him created better lives for themselves. At the end of the day, he had nothing but his memories…and that left him bitter.

Joey ran his hand down his face. "I-I don't know if can." He sighed and felt extremely tired. "Can you help me, old friend?" The plea in his voice rang in his ears. In the past, his pride would have gotten in the way. Right now, it didn't matter.

The demon growled softly and Henry shook his head. "No. That's something you're gonna haveta figure out on your own." He pulled on the doorknob and a bright light flooded the kitchen. "Goodbye, Joey." Henry and the demon stepped out the door and disappeared.

The bright light consumed everything around Joey. He threw his arm up to shield his eyes, but it didn't help. Fear gripped his heart as the world around him faded away. "Henry? Henry, wait! HENRY!"

* * *

Joey awoke with a start. His breathing was heavy and his heart was trying to beat out of his chest. He laid in his bed and stared at the ceiling. He thought about the dream. He knew what it meant.

Henry. That clever, talented, and stubborn man. He found a way to escape the trap he set for him.

Joey should have been angry. He had spent years planning this. He wanted his old friend to suffer for abandoning him. He felt so satisfied when he managed to trick him into going back to the studio.

He was able to watch Henry through his dreams every night. Joey even developed a sick sense of glee every time Henry fell through the floor or got killed by the various creatures that roamed the halls. He watched as the man struggled to get to the end, only to have it start all over again. It was one big game to him and Henry was his pawn, to do with as he pleased.

After awhile, the game stopped being fun. Night after night Henry kept trying to escape and each time, he failed. The glee Joey felt in the beginning turned into something less pleasant.

Now, he just felt sad and empty. He just wanted to end, but it didn't. This was another mistake to join the pile of others he made over the years.

This last dream. That "Goodbye". The finality of Henry's words made his old heart twist. Joey knew, he just KNEW that he ruined what little friendship they had left. The fact that he just realized this AFTER everything he'd done shows exactly why Henry left him in the first place.

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 **OoOoOoOoO**

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Henry's senses started to return to him slowly. He knew without even opening his eyes that he was laying on the ground. It was cold and hard…and it felt like stone? There was fresh as well. It lacked the stench of stale ink that he had come to know and hate. Was that the wind caressing his skin?

He was almost too scared to open his eyes. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he couldn't lay on the ground forever.

Henry sighed and slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw, after his vision adjusted, was a few stubborn tuffs of grass. It was growing out of a crack in the concrete. Concrete. That's what he was laying on! There was no concrete in the studio…

He struggled to sit up and he looked around. He was sitting on the walkway that lead to the front doors of the studio. It was night but the streetlights provided him with enough light to see. The stars twinkled overhead. It was night…and he was outside. Outside of the studio! It worked! He was free! Free…

Henry looked around frantically. He couldn't have been the only one that made it out. He promised him they would make it out together! He promised…

A soft moan caught his attention. There was a small form curled up on the ground a few feet from him. Henry crawled over to it. "Please, please, please be okay." he whispered. The body was as small as a child and as black as the darkest shadows. His heart stuttered when he turned the little toon over.

"Bendy? Bud, open your eyes!" Henry pulled him into his lap. He looked just like the little devil darling he drew so many years ago. He even had his signature bow tie. "We did it! We're free!" He held the little toon close to his chest and waited.

There was another moan. He was relieved when Bendy struggled to open his eyes. When he finally did, Henry was startled. The toon didn't have pie cut eyes like he originally drew them. His pupils were small black dots in the middle of a light grey iris that was surrounded by a pitch black sclera. It was a little unnerving the way he stared up at him. A shaky gloved hand reached up and touched his cheek. "H-Henry? Is it really you?" Henry chuckled and squeezed Bendy's hand. "Yeah, it's me."

The toon's smile grew wobbly. He looked like he was going to burst into tears. "I can't believe it. I'm really here! I didn't fade away…"

Henry smiled. "I knew you wouldn't." The little toon's eyes grew wide when he realized where they were. "Henry? Are-Are we…outside?" He nodded and helped Bendy as they both stood up. Henry watched as the little demon stumbled around. He seemed a little overwhelmed.

Henry stared up at the sky. He was free. He can go home. Linda must be worried sick. He needed to find a pay phone…

"Hey Henry? I think I see someone over there." He blinked and looked in the direction the little toon was pointing. Sure enough, there was a figure laying on the ground a few yards down the walkway. Did someone else escape the studio?

Henry and Bendy rushed to the person's side. He fell to his knees and carefully turned the person over. He heard a soft gasp from the toon. "Who is this?"

It was a woman! She appeared to have dirty blonde hair and was fair skinned. She didn't look like she was hurt. Henry shook her lightly. The woman hissed as she reached up and rubbed her eyes.

"Ugh, what happened?" she moaned. "Where am I?"

That voice! Henry recognized it. His heart leapt into his throat. He couldn't find his own voice. Luckily, Bendy was there to help. "Alice?" the little toon whispered. He looked really scared too.

The woman cracked open one dark brown eye and stared in the direction of the voice. "It's Allison." She blinked when she finally saw the small figure sitting next to her. She didn't seemed scared, just somewhat startled. Who wouldn't be when you had a living cartoon right in front of you. "Who are you?"

"Um, Hi! I'm Bendy!" The toon was rubbing his hands together nervously. Allison tilted her head slightly. "Bendy?"

Henry's eyes widened. That name sounded familiar. As he helped her to sit up, he remembered hearing that name from one of Susie's recordings. "Allison…Pendle?"

The woman snorted and ran her fingers through her hair. "It's Connor now." She froze for a moment before looking around frantically. "Tom!" she shouted. "Tom, where are you!" Allison scrambled to her feet and would have tripped if Henry hadn't caught her.

"I-I need to find him!" She was shaking in his arms. "We came here together…TOM!?" Henry did his best to calm her down as they looked around the area. They walked towards the building and that's when they noticed someone leaning against the outer wall. Half of the body was hidden in shadows and they weren't moving.

They rushed over and Allison knelt next to the figure. It was a man. He had curly salt n' pepper hair, a mustache, and a short beard with streaks of grey in it. His head lolled to the side but he was breathing.

"Tom? Tom honey, wake up!" She slapped his face lightly. Her voice hitched as she called out to him. "C'mon Tommy, open your eyes! Please…" She shook his shoulders and stared into his face.

Bendy sat on the opposite side and held the unconscious man's hand. "Please wake up Mr. Thomas!" His strange eyes darted over Tom's body. Worry was etched all over the toon's face.

Thomas suddenly took a deep breath and a horrible cough wracked his body. Allison threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Tom! Oh thank god! I-I thought I lost you!"

The man cracked open his eyes. Bendy let go of his hand and he reached up to return the hug. He cleared his throat a few times before he could speak. "Ali? Ali, don't cry. I'm okay…"

Henry breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down on the ground. He was glad he wasn't the only one that made it out alive. He wasn't sure if his plan would have worked on them too.

A small whimper from Bendy got his attention. Henry asked what was wrong. All the little toon could do was point to Thomas. He looked to where Bendy pointed and his heart dropped. The man was missing an arm. The limb was gone from the elbow down, just like the Boris in the studio. "Mr. Thomas?"

Thomas turned towards the small voice. His eyes grew wide and he stuttered slightly. "B-Bendy?" Allison let him go and stared at the little toon. "Is it really you?" He reached out and placed his hand on top of the toon's head. "You're alive!"

"Is this THE Bendy you told me so much about?" Allison asked. She reached out and poked the little toon in the cheek. Bendy looked just as surprised as she was.

Thomas smiled. "Yup! He is the first and only Bendy we brought to life." He chuckled. "The little guy was…strange at first, but he grew on most of us. Hell, he used to follow me everywhere!" He ran his fingers over the little toon's widow's peak. "He used to watch me whenever I worked on the machine. Always lookin' over my shoulder."

Henry's lips twitched. Well, the demon's behavior in the power room makes sense now.

Thomas sighed. "When Joey took you away, I didn't want to work here anymore. So, I trained someone else to maintain the machine." He smiled sadly. "I'm glad you're alive, little fella."

Bendy hardly heard what the man said. His attention was on the Thomas' missing arm. He reached out with a shaky hand and touched it. "D-Did this…happen here?" Henry could see streams of ink running down his face. "Did I-I do this?!" The toon looked horrified.

Thomas was shocked. "What? No no no!" He ruffled his fingers between the demon's horns. "I didn't loose my arm here. This happened years after I left the studio. It was a…work related accident." Bendy leaned into the man's hand. Thomas hummed and looked around. "I could have sworn I was wearing my prosthetic when we got here. I must have lost it…"

Thomas's eyes finally landed on Henry and they narrowed. He pulled Allison closer to him with his stump. Boy, did that look familiar. "Who are you?"

All eyes were on him now. He held up his hands to show he meant no harm. "My name's Henry." Allison and Thomas stared at him. There was a spark of recognition in their eyes. "Henry?" Allison whispered.

Thomas scowled. "What's going on here?" he demanded. His voice was very gruff and full of frustration. "I know you, but I'm sure we've never met before!"

"I know this is confusing.". Henry ran his fingers through his hair. "Could you tell me why you're here and what happens to you? Things will make sense afterwards."

Allison and Thomas looked at one another. "Well, I kept in touch with Joey years after I left the studio." Allison tugged on a lock of her hair. "One day, Joey asked if I could go back to the studio. He had filed for bankruptcy and was loosing the building. He just wanted a few souvenirs before everything in the place got scrapped." Her brows knitted together slightly. "He said he was too sick to go himself."

Thomas grumbled. "There was no way I was going to let her go alone. 'sides, I figured I could snag some old equipment while I was there." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "As soon as we walked through those doors, I knew something was wrong."

Henry frowned. "How so?"

"The lights were still on!" Thomas looked Henry in the eyes. "This place's been shut down for years. Everything should have been turned off!"

Now that Henry thought about it, the power was on when he arrived too. Some of the radios and even the projector was working. He didn't pay that fact little attention. Looking back on it now, he wished he had.

"The atmosphere in the place was odd too." Thomas had a far away look in his eyes as he stroked his beard. "I needed to check it out…so me and Ali took a few flights of stairs down. Heh, I never trusted the elevators in this place." After the many falls he took, neither did Henry.

"There was ink all over the walls. Wally didn't keep the pressure under control like I told him too! The idiot…" Bendy giggled as Thomas grumbled that last part. "We came to this room…" He suddenly had a haunted look in his eyes.

Allison caressed his cheek before continuing the story. "It had a strange…symbol painted on the floor. We stepped inside to get a better look, then…" she trailed off and she scrunched up her face in concentration. She shook her head and started to panic. "I-I can't remember…" Thomas wrapped his arms around her. "Why can't I remember what happened?"

Henry grimaced. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what happened. He waited for Allison to calm down before telling them why he ended up at the studio. He told them about the pipes bursting when he turned on the machine and how he ran for the exit only to fall several floors down. He told them about the room with the symbol and how he passed out.

Henry told them about the other beings he ran into including the Butcher Gang, Sammy, and Alice Angel. Allison's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline, but she didn't say anything.

When he told them how Bendy chased him throughout the studio, the little toon whimpered softly. He stared down at his gloved hands and refused to look at anyone. He only looked up when a warm hand landed on his shoulder. "Hey bud, you know I'm not angry, right?" Bendy sniffled and a little ink ran down the side of his face. "I don't blame you for any of that. We didn't know what was going on at the time." The toon gave him a shaky smile and he nodded.

Henry continued. He told them how he was saved by another Alice and then taken prisoner by her and another Boris called Tom. Now it was Thomas' turn to have his eyebrows nearly crawl off his face.

He told them about the loops and how he slowly put a plan together. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he had to try. In the end, it did and here they were. Finally free of that nightmare. They all sat on the ground, mulling over everything that's happened.

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" The silence was shattered by Thomas' gruff voice. "He knew! He knew what happened here and he sent us in anyway?!" He raised a shaky fist. "If I ever see him again, I'll give him more than a piece of my mind." he said ominously. Bendy's smile grew a little wider and his eyes sparkled with mischief. Henry chuckled and shook his head. He knew where Thomas was coming from. He felt the same way.

"But…" Everyone turned to Allison. She still looked confused. "Why are we still alive?" They all grew quiet again, lost in their own thought.

"Maybe…" Henry scratched at the back of his neck. "Maybe it's because you weren't outright sacrificed like the others." He waved his hand towards the building. "Since you weren't the 'heroes' of Joey's story, you became characters within it."

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. "You were Alice Angel's voice actress so that's what you became." He pointed towards Thomas. "Joey didn't know you'd be there so the studio turned you into one of the most successful clones it produced: Boris."

"What about the others?" Allison asked. "Are they still trapped in there?"

"No." Everyone turned to the little toon but he was staring at the Joey Drew Studios sign above the front door.

"How do you know that, bud?"

Bendy tilted his head as though he was listening to something. "The studio is empty. Without power, the ink couldn't hold their souls anymore. I can feel it." He turned towards Henry and smiled. "You did it! You set them free!"

Henry took a minute to let all of that sink in. That weight that had been sitting on his shoulders all this time had finally lifted after hearing that. He wished he could have done something before so many people lost their lives, but at least they could move on now.

He sighed and shook his head. "You know, no matter what that studio did to you two," he smiled at Allison and Thomas. "you both managed to find one another in all that chaos."

The couple glanced knowingly at one another. Thomas leaned in and kissed Allison on the forehead. "Of course. She's MY angel."

Allison sighed and leaned back to get a good look at Thomas' face. "How long have we've been trapped in that place." That was a good question. Henry didn't have an answer for her.

"I dunno sweetheart, but I do know we must have people worried sick about us." He gave Henry a slight nod. "Lets go home."

Allison and Henry helped Thomas to his feet. He slung his arm over her shoulder and leaned on her for support.

Bendy looked between Thomas, Allison, and Henry. The little toon was wringing his gloved hands together nervously. "Home?"

Henry knelt down and placed his hands on the toon's small shoulders. "That's right bud. You're coming with me." Bendy's smile grew watery and inky tears ran down his cheeks. He hugged Henry and buried his face in the man's chest, staining his shirt with his inky tears. "Thank you." Henry had no intention of leaving him behind.

"Oh wait!" Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. He handed it to Henry. His name and number was on it. "Keep in touch, yeah?" He patted Bendy on the head. "Let me know how the little guy's doing."

Henry promised he would. They walked around to the back of the building where two vehicles were parked. One was an old pickup truck. The other was a sedan. Both were covered in a thick layer of dust.

Henry remembered seeing the truck when he parked in the lot. He thought someone had abandoned it and didn't give it a second thought. Hind sight is 20/20 they say.

After giving Thomas a little jump start, the group went their separate ways. Henry drove through the rest of the night. He did find a pay phone along the way and called home. He had never been so happy to hear his wife's voice. It broke his heart to hear her so hysterical over the phone and promised to tell her everything as soon as he got home.

Bendy was in the passenger seat. The little was sound asleep. Cartoon-ish Z's floated above his head. Henry didn't know what the future held for the little guy, but he would make sure he wouldn't face it alone.

He pulled into his driveway just as the sun was coming up. Henry rubbed at his eyes. He was so tired. All he wanted to do was climb into his warm bed and let sleep claim him for a few hours.

Bendy had woken up thirty minutes ago. The little toon had spent that time bombarding him with a bunch of questions. Henry tried to answer as many as he could, but his mind was running on fumes, and it was hard for him to concentrate.

They got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Henry stuck his keys in the door. He barely turned the key when the door flew open. It was Linda! Her eyes were puffy and red. Dry tears had left streaks down her cheeks. She rushed forward and nearly knocked him over as she wrapped her arms around him.

Hearing Linda cry made his chest tighten. He held her close and whispered "I should have listened to you. Everything is fine now. I'm not going to leave you again!" Henry rocked her in his arms until she finally calmed down.

"I'm just glad you're home." She squeezed him tightly. It was almost as if she need to make sure he was really there. Henry buried his face into her soft, curly hair. He missed her so much.

He held for a little bit longer before reluctantly pulling away. Her breath hitched and she rubbed the tears from her eyes.

"Henry?" He could see the hurt in her eyes. He never wanted to see that again.

"Linda, I'd like you to meet someone." That's when she noticed a small figure hiding behind her husband's legs. At first she thought it was a child, but the body was black with a little white bow tie near its…neck? It didn't have a neck! Its round head just seemed to float above its shoulders. It had strange eyes and a nervous grin on its face. "This is Bendy."

The little creature looked up at her. He looked scared. Was he scared of her?

Linda put on her best, reassuring smile and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Bendy." He hesitated for just a moment before reaching out and shaking her hand.

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 _ **-A Few Weeks Later-**_

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Henry was sitting at his writing desk. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and a pen in the other. There were a stack of letters and pieces of paper on its surface. The letters were from Joey. They were all unopened. Linda wanted to burn them, but he asked her not to. Maybe one day he'll read them, but not today.

The papers were covered in drawings. They were little comic strips he had been working on. It had been a long time since he'd drawn something like this. He could admit, he was a little rusty.

"What are you working on?" Linda walked into the room and was looking over his shoulder.

"It's just a small comic strip. I was thinking about submitting it to our local newspaper." The comic was about Bendy and the first time he got to try real iced cream. His reaction to the cold treat was priceless.

Linda giggled. "I remembered this! He ate it too fast. Poor thing ended up with an iced cream headache." She spent an hour trying to convince him that the treat was good. He just needed to eat it slowly next time.

"If they like this, who knows, maybe I could submit a new strip to the Sunday funnies every week." Henry looked into the living room. Bendy was sitting on the floor with their granddaughter. They were both eating a bowl of cereal and watching cartoons on TV.

Henry shook his head and smiled. "Lord knows he gives me enough material to work with." It was strange having a cartoon living under their roof. Bendy had a few issues, but they promised to help him through it. Life had definitely gotten more interesting with him around.

* * *

 **E/N: Well, this is it! This is the ending I wanted to give them. I have so much fun writing for this fandom. I hope y'all enjoy this and thanks for reading my little story.**


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